Meryl's Notes Blog

Craig’s List Scam

Between my digital camera having video recording capabilities and cutting clutter, I decided to sell my barely used HD video camcorder on Craig’s List. Or rather, the camcorder posted it begging for a home that will take good care of it and use it often. Within hours of posting, an email comes in from Walt Julius asking if the item is still for sale. After confirming, he replies [edited for readability]:

Thanks for you reply, i am located in Kansas, i really need to buy this and send to my friend schooling outside the state as a Gift to him, i have been trying to buy this on eBay but is very stressful buying on eBay and i will not want to miss out on this opportunity so am making you an offer of [deleted] to rap the sale off.

I will be paying through PAYPAL because i have a verified account with PayPal. So kindly get back with your PayPal email address so i can make payment into your PayPal account. Once payment clears, shipment will be handled by me through my personal FedEx account, so you don’t have to pay for shipment. Get back to me if my approval is granted. I would like to see the pictures please.

Sounds OK so far. I take pictures and record a couple of videos. Though I spend more time than I’d like doing this, it turns out to be a good thing. I find out the battery doesn’t last long and needs replacing. The camcorder works fine while plugged in. I send him the pictures, let him know about the battery and lower the price to make up the difference to replace the battery.

Then comes the kicker … [email edited for readability]

I have just made out the payment online now. Go and check the mail you used in opening your PayPal account I believe the confirmation mail must have been sent there check the in box trash or the spam message you should be able to see it there. I wanna let you know that i am having some little problems with my FedEx account as i checked it online now and i was asked to reactivate it so i cant do that now as i have to sort one or two thing out with them. So i am sorry as i wont be handling shipment through my FedEx account again.

So, pls get the postage cost to the following address via post office (USPS EXPRESS MAIL) and ship out the item via post office (USPS) asap cos i have told Ryan to be expecting it. I have also included $100 extra for the shipping. i think that should be enough for you to ship.

Ryan Coker
[address deleted]
Country: Nigeria

Let me know how much it costs you to ship.After you ship get back to me with the amount you used in shipping. I am really sorry for the inconveniences. Please get back to me asap.

Suspicious. Without looking at the email, I sign in PayPal and see a balance of zero. I never click PayPal emails — not even legitimate ones — because it’s often used in phishing. Whenever I receive a PayPal email, I go to PayPal and check there. No clicking on links.

Your cover is blown, Mr. Julius or whoever you are. Curious, I look for the emails and sure enough, phishy. The “From” says, “Service@PayPal” with the email address coming from “in.com”. Here are the subjects of the three emails I received:

**PAYMENT CODE CONFIRMED(Routing Code: [deleted])**CONFIRMED

**ASSURANCE OF TRANSACTION AND PROMPT SHIPMENT***

!!!PENDING FUND ALERT!!!

Just when I thought it was over and I’d never hear from him again, another email came in after I told him the email wasn’t from PayPal and no money came in:

i will confirm from paypal now because my money as been deducted, dont worry go and send the it item to the address i receive from my friend now, he has called me he told i told him u have send it through fedEx please do so.

I didn’t reply.

What threw me off about the whole thing was the response to something I posted (and a Gmail address, too) and then his responding to multiple messages. I share these names because they’re fake and to help others who may encounter them. When I figured it all out, I searched the web to see if others had reported a similar incident. It’s often an eBay scam.

I forwarded the three messages to spoof@paypal.com who confirmed they’re phishing attempts. Anytime you get something like this, please forward it to PayPal. I won’t explain the other mistakes he made as I don’t want to help the phishers improve their scams.